Manufacturers

Magnification

The diameter of the telescope is
the most important aspect for a decent Telescope.(not the Magnification)

Just to give an idea,(using the NGC 2000 star Catalog)
what is visible through the following size telescopes on a dark clear
unpolluted night,(Northern and Southern Hemisphere's)with good eyesight.

Naked eye

Magnitude 6

2Galaxy's

50mm Telescope

Magnitude 9

36Galaxy's visible

75mm Telescope

Magnitude 11

358 Galaxy's visible

100mm Telescope

Magnitude12.2

150mm Telescope

Magnitude 13

2175 Galaxy's visible

200mm Telescope

Magnitude14.2

300mm Telescope

Magnitude 15

6791 Galaxy's visible

400mm Telescope

Magnitude16.1

This means that you should look for the biggest diameter
telescope you can afford with your budget. (not magnification)

Magnification

Reflecting Telescope

The maximum usable magnification
on any reflecting telescope should be 35x every 25mm Diameter
of a telescope. A lot of telescopes are sold nowdays to customers with
a maximum magnification way out of range. I have seen 50mm refractors
been sold, displaying on the box 625x magnification. Yes that telescope
might be able to do that magnification, but you would not be able to
see any objects with such a magnification through a 50mm telescope. Reflecting telescopes is normaly better value for money and can get any size diameter without glass sging problems..

Telescope diameter

Maximum usable magnification

50mm Telescope

70x Max magnification

75mm Telescope

105x Max magnification

100mm Telescope

140x Max magnification

150mm Telescope

210x Max magnification

200mm Telescope

280x Max magnification

250mm Telescope

350x Max magnification

Refracting Telescope

The maximum usable magnification
on any refracting telescope should be 50x every 25mm Diameter
of a telescope.The refracting telescope does not have anycentral obstruction like the Reflecting telescopes. ED Aprocromatic refracting telescopes is also about 3x the price of a reflecting telescope but the quality is unmatched and stars is pinpoint.Refracting telescopes won't be bigger than 6" as you will start having problems with saging glass.